1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission cable for transmitting both an analog signal and a digital signal, a jack to be connected to the transmission cable, and a recording device connected to the transmission cable and the jack and for recording data on a recording medium.
2. Background of the Invention
Conventionally, when dubbing an audio signal on a recording medium loaded in a recording device, a reproducing device is electrically connected to the recording device for transmitting the audio signal. For transferring an information signal, the transmission cable is connected between the recording device and the reproducing device. As such, when dubbing the audio signal, the transmission cables connected among the electronic devices include an analog cable for transmitting an analog signal, a digital cable for transmitting a digital signal, and an optical cable for transmitting a digital light signal.
When dubbing a signal from a first optical disc dedicated to reproduction to a second recordable and reproducible optical disc through these analog, digital, and optical cables, the first electronic device to which the first optical disc is loaded is connected to the second electronic device to which the second optical disc is loaded through those cables, for the purpose of transmitting a signal from the first electronic device to the second electronic device.
When dubbing a signal from the first optical disc to the second optical disc, the signal can be digitally dubbed onto the second optical disc. However, the dubbing of the digital signal from the second optical disc to the third recordable and reproducible optical disc is strictly restricted and thus is made substantially impossible. That is, the digital dubbing to the first generation is enabled, while the digital dubbing to the second generation is prohibited in light of the copyright. If a user would like to dub a signal to the second optical disc, the user is permitted to dub the signal in an analog manner.
Hence, the second electronic device is required to provide a capability of transmitting and receiving a digital signal and an analog signal. Further, when the first electronic device transmits a signal to the second electronic device for dubbing the signal recorded on the first optical disc to the second optical disc, some users do not prefer to digitally dub the signal on the second optical disc but prefer to analogously dub the signal thereon. Hence, the first electronic device is required to provide a capability of transmitting and receiving a digital signal and an analog signal.
As described above, the second electronic device to which the second optical disc is loaded is required to provide a capability of transmitting and receiving a digital signal and an analog signal. Hence, the second electronic device provides a jack having a capability of transmitting and receiving a digital signal and an analog signal. The digital cable, the analog cable and the optical cable provide at their tips plugs designed to fit into the jack, so that the jack may be connected to the digital cable and the analog cable.
By providing the jack fitted to each system, the second electronic device may be reduced in size. This jack contains two types for a signal input and a signal output. Though the jack has one mechanical structure, the jack type for a signal output provides a laser diode for transmitting a light signal, while the jack type for a signal input provides a photo detector for receiving a light signal.
However, the user who uses the electronic device provided with this type of jack possesses both of the optical cable and the analog cable. For example, when dubbing the signal recorded on the first optical disc loaded on the first electronic device onto the second optical disc loaded on the second electronic device in a digital manner, the optical cable is inserted into the jack. On the other hand, when dubbing the signal recorded on the first optical disc in an analog manner, it is necessary to replace the optical cable with the analog cable. That is, when the user wants to dub the signal, the user is requested to replace one cable with another when selecting the digital system or the analog system.
Further, when dubbing the signal from the first optical disc to the second optical disc in an analog manner, an unfavorable matter takes place where the additional information such as digital text information recorded on the first optical disc cannot be dubbed at a time.